Association of osteoporosis with different risk factors in a sample of Egyptian women

Background/aim Both obesity and osteoporosis represent global health problems, as they are associated with major morbidity and mortality risks. The present work is aimed at assessing association of osteoporosis with different risk factors in a sample of Egyptian women. Patients and methods The study was a cross-sectional one conducted at National Research Center, Giza. It included 90 healthy women, with age range from 21 to 60 years. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional habit were collected by a trained physician. BMI was calculated, and bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry. Results Of all women, 87.8% were overweight/obese and 42.2% were osteoporotic. Women with normal BMI were more at risk of developing osteoporosis compared with obese women [odds ratio (OR)=17.86, confidence interval (CI)=2.171–146.86]. Postmenopausal women were three times more at risk of developing osteoporosis than premenopausal women (OR=2.86, CI=1.18–6.89). Women using loop and those exposed to sunray regularly were less likely to develop osteoporosis than those not using loop and those not exposed to sun (OR=0.31, CI=0.12–0.78 and OR=0.24 and CI=0.076–0.762, respectively). Women eating cheese were less likely to develop osteoporosis than those not eating cheese (OR=0.41, CI=0.166–0.966). Multiple binary logistic regression detected that women with normal BMI, postmenopausal women, women not using loop, and women not eating cheese were more at risk of developing osteoporosis. Conclusion The current study revealed that women with normal BMI (nonobese), postmenopausal, not using loop, and not eating cheese were more at risk of developing osteoporosis. It also supports the assumption that obesity has a protective role in the development of osteoporosis in studied women population.